Melted Onions
Large stockpot
Sharp Chef's Knife
Diffuser (see note)
1.
Trim the top and bottom off each onion, then cut them in half lengthwise. Peel away the outer skin. Lay the halves flat, root end facing you. Slice the halves into quarters, then remove the core with a small V-shaped cut and discard. Now, with the root end facing you, slice along the natural grain into ¼-inch thick slices. Repeat with the remaining onions.
2.
Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium-low heat, then add the sliced onions. Keep an eye on them, stirring frequently at the start to ensure all the slices get a turn on the bottom of the pot, where they’ll start releasing their liquid. After about 45 minutes, the onions should have given off a good amount of liquid. At this point, you can slightly increase the heat to reduce the liquid faster, then lower it back once most of the liquid has evaporated.
3.
Place a heat diffuser under the stockpot to further reduce the heat. Lower the heat to low, stirring every 10-15 minutes to prevent scorching. The onions will gradually change color from white to ecru, to amber, and finally to a deep, rich brown. This slow process can take about five to six hours. As you near the end, stir more frequently to avoid burning. You’ll know they’re done when you have around 1 ½ to 2 cups of deeply caramelized onions.
4.
Set aside to cool.
Ingredients
- 10 large yellow onions
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cook's Notes
Melted onions are the foundation for my French onion tart, but they also make a perfect base for French onion soup or a rich condiment for roasted and grilled meats.
No diffuser? No problem. You can improvise with a grate from your range burner or even an oven rack to elevate the stockpot just a bit above the heat.